HHS Plans ‘Cultural Competency’ Training for Health Professionals Dealing with Homosexuals

Complete Headline: HHS Plans ‘Cultural Competency’ Training for Health Professionals Dealing with Homosexuals, Transgenders

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius says her agency's plans for the coming year include improving the health and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities; training health professionals in "cultural competency"; and developing definitions of sexual orientation and gender identity.

On the HHS Web site, Sebelius also summarized actions taken thus far on behalf of the LGBT community, such as forming an internal LGBT Coordinating Committee, the inclusion of LGBT people in implementing the Affordable Care Act and ongoing anti-bullying efforts.

The Web site states that Health and Human Services (HHS) will work with “LGBT community advocates” to implement its “Future Recommended Actions.”

These include a Web site that will help homosexuals identify insurance policies that cover “domestic partners.”

The HHS will also conduct outreach to organizations that serve LGBT communities to connect homosexuals with “available funding opportunities.”

“HHS's Health Resources and Services Administration will also convene professional groups that represent LGBT health providers and students to identify challenges and opportunities for training LGBT providers and to isolate strategies geared toward increasing culturally competent care for LGBT patients,” the text states.

The final item says that HHS will continue its efforts against discrimination, harassment and violence, including federal funding through “target populations for population-specific grants.”

I have a good friend who is gay and if I was a doctor, I have no problem with treating him if he was ill. Doctors are there to treat the sick, no matter who they are, they are not meant to be used as tools for the PC movement and/or to promote the same movement.

In January 2003, my left hand was cut open on the pinky side by a rusty nail on the side of my garage as I slipped on ice getting out of my Ford Exploder. I went ot the ER, got stitches and a week later, it was infected with strep. I needed surgery to clean out the icky stuff in my hand plus for the first two days, i was hooked on super anti-biotics 24/7. It was a pain hauling the IV tree with me. I was in hospital for 5 days. One thing I was thankful for is my room was private, it was the only place they could put me.

I had several doctors, my hand surgeon for one but after he treated me, he had to go to a seminar so he had his associates, one of whom I graduated high school with, follow up on me. However, I had another doctor, an infectious disease specialist, very good in his field but he had the worst bedside manner. He had to make sure to the county that I was clear before I was released so I spend a few extra days in hospital. He was dang good though and although he might not be a guy I'd share a beer with, I'd want somebody with his knowledge to make me well again. Well, I did a lot of time listening to Rush and Art Bell along with watching Civil War documentaries and the investigation into the Columbia blowing up (I was admitted the day after the Columbia cracked up).

Whatever happened to just treating the person no matter who they are? That Sebelius chick could go fly a kite for all I care.

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